Door bracer and straightener



Dec. 28, 1943. c. s. BERGSTROM DOOR BRAC ER AND STRAIGHTENER Filed Sept. 21, 1942 S. Ber

Ill/l m Patented Dec. 28, 1943 UNITED STATES 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a door brace and straightener and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is common knowledge that doors become warped after considerable use and especially so if the door is exposed to damp weather conditions, the distortion of the door becoming such that it cannot be conveniently closed and latched. In many cases it is necessary to refit the door and in fact entirely replace the door at considerable expense.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a simple attachment which may be installed upon a door to restore and maintain parts thereof to original shape and also effect a bracing of the door.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of the character stated which is of extreme simplicity, readily installed upon a door and which will not have any objectionable pro- J'ections.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door having my invention installed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the device.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the brace and straightening device.

Figure 5 is an enlarged top plan view of a cover for use with the brace and straightener, installed.

There is illustrated a door ill of conventional construction, upon which my straightener is installed, encased by a cover indicated at H. The straightener I2 is shown in detail in Figures 2, 3, and 4, and attention is now invited to these figures for an understanding of the construction thereof. The straightener and brace consists of a metal plate of elongated form having two fiat surfaces [2 and I3 in divergent relation to the medial portion Id of the plate. Adjacent the ends of the surfaces l2 and I3 respective apertures l5 are formed for mounting and tensioning of the straightener as will be described. The plate is slightly convex by reason of the divergent surfaces and upon such side longitudinal ribs or webs it are formed, stopping inwardly of respective apertures I5, the ribs tapering so as to merge smoothly into the body of the plate. In addition, ribs or webs I! are provided, arranged transverse to the ribs I6 terminating at respective edges of the plate and being positioned at the medial portion of the plate, which portion forms a fulcrum point when in use.

As may be seen in Figure 2, the vertical stile l8 of the door is bored to provide an aperture 19 and the cross rail 20 is also formed with an aperture 2| in horizontal alignment with the first opening and spaced apart a distance so as to register with respective apertures 15 of the straightener. Suitable bolts 22 are extended through the aligned apertures and a washer and nut is next engaged upon respective threaded ends of the bolt, the nut of the bolt 22 mounted in the stile being tightened so as to draw the surface l3 of the plate snugly against the stile l8. By reason of the fulcrum point It, and the divergence of the surfaces l2 and I3, the surface l2 will lie in a plane diverging upwardly from the cross rail 20, as seen in Figure 2. By tightening upon the nut of the bolt 22 mounted in the cross rail 20, the latter will be drawn into alignment with the stile I8. It will be obvious that should the stile l8 require to be brought into alignment with the cross rail 20, the surface 12 would be mounted flat upon the cross rail and straightening of the stile would be accomplished by tightening of the nut of the bolt in the stile. It will also be understood that the straightener may be installed upon either side of the door and in other situations than shown.

Where a more finished appearance is desired, the cover II is set over the straightener so as to completely encase the same. In the present instance, the cover is in the form of a shell having a right angularly disposed circumscribing flange 23 suitably apertured to receive mounting screws 24. A similar cover will be disposed over the nuts of the bolts 22.

The straightening device may be readily cast from suitable malleable metals or pressed from sheet metal.

While I have shown and specifically described my invention, this is by way of illustration only and I consider as my own all such modifications in construction as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combined straightener and brace member adapted to be mounted across unaligned structural members, consisting of a metallic plate having an aperture at each end, the ends being divergent from the medial portion of the plate forming a fulcrum, said plate having reinforcing ribs upon one face thereof and bolt and nut members mounted in each aperture whereby the plate member may be mounted across the structural members.

2. A door brace and straightener comprising a plate member of a length to extend across a stile and rail member of a door structure, said plate having ends outwardly diverging from a medial portion of the plate forming a fulcrum, said plate having an aperture at each end, a bolt extended through one aperture and a portion of the door structure, a nut on the bolt for drawing the plate flush against the door structure and maintaining the other end in divergent relation thereto, a bolt 10 extended through the aperture of said last named end and through a portion of the door structure and a nut on said bolt for drawing the stile and rail into alignment.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which the plate member is provided with alongitudinal rib and a transverse rib, said ribs being integrally conneozed at a point opposite the fulcrum of the pla e.

CARL S. BERGSTROM. 

